Not running a ground wire alongside the chain means that you're relying on the chain itself for the ground. I assume the manufacturer supplied a cable for the fixture; doesn't that have three conductors (including the ground)?

Thanks for the reply! This was a salvaged chandelier. The cable running in the chain is only a two-wire cable. I would need to run an exposed ground wire alongside the chain or, I suppose, replace the existing wire with a three-wire cable if I wanted to run a ground down the chain. So I'm assuming that relying on the chain to be the ground is problematic?

Re: Replacing the existing wire with a three-wire cable - Most chandeliers run a 2-wire lamp cord down along/through the chain and a separate bare stranded ground wire (~ 18 gauge) alongside. The silver colored chandelier that I'm sitting under has a clear/silver two wire lamp cord and a silver colored ground wire.

Lot of lack of understanding in this thread.

Show of hands. Is the chandelier itself grounded? lol

Without new wires, the chandelier is grounded through the chain, but the chain itself might have breaks in continuity - oxidation.

Hi Stax. I know there's a lack of understanding — at least on my part. :) That's why I'm looking for some expertise here.

@greg_2015 This is really helpful input. Thanks!

I agree with Greg

How do devices with two prong plugs like TV provide protection?

Devices with two prongs that are made nowadays means that there is no metal (that could be energized) that is exposed to human hands on the device and therefore grounding isn't required.

TVs are all plastic/glass on the outside.

It's funny that my laptop computer has a 3-prong plug for its power supply, but just two conductors for the low voltage power to the computer itself.

Why is that funny?

Why do you need a grounded plug for a transformer/power supply totally enclosed in plastic?

Perhaps to protect the actual electronic device in case something happens with the transformer?

My explanation above might have been a little simplified for clarity. I'm not an electronics guy, but there might be a use for grounding within transformers that has nothing to do with human safety.

I've heard that surge protectors also need a good ground in order to operate properly as well. I guess when a surge comes in, some of the excess is shunted to the ground or something. That's for protection of the electronics vs humans.

So in other words, devices with 2 prongs and no grounding have no metal exposed that could be energized. But that doesn't mean the reverse, where 3 prong grounded devices must have exposed metal that could be energized. All apples are fruit, but not all fruit are apples.